Time Spiral
by Rauchster
Summary: You know how they say that when you change one little thing, everything spirals out of control? That’s how I feel like I’ve led my life. Rating for Swearing and Violence. No Pairings at the moment.
1. Chapter 1 : Foreword

**Summary:** You know how they say that when you change one little thing, everything spirals out of control? That's how I feel like I've led my life.

**Author:** Rauchster

**Chapter Word Length:** 1,131

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**Foreword **

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My name is Naruto Uzumaki. The Rokudaime Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Some would say that I've fulfilled my own prophecies. But, now I just feel empty. 

All is still around me. I can hear a bird resume its song somewhere off in the distance. It feels right, and yet so wrong. A light haze covers the field, making it impossible to see more than a few yards in any direction. The sun has disappeared behind clouds. Ironic, if I had stopped to think about it. But that is beyond my notice at this time.

I look down at a pair of hands covered in blood. I struggle to remember who they belong to, when I realize they are mine. Everything seems so detached. I can't even remember whose blood is on my hands, or why it is there. I feel as if I'm in a fog. My head is spinning. I lurch forward and fall upon my knees, gasping for breath. The grass beneath me is moist with the same red, sticky substance that clings to my hands.

I look around this place. Where was I again? I can barely remember. My eyes are unfocused, my hands not feeling the ground they are resting on. I try to stand up, or even just to move, but my body feels so heavy. If I were thinking more clearly, or at all, I might realize I have what some would call post-traumatic stress disorder. But thinking requires more effort and concentration than I really have available at the moment.

Using most of my willpower, I stagger to my feet. My arms hang loose at my sides, due to the massive wounds inflicted upon them. My left arm has a large gash from shoulder to elbow, severing the bicep cleanly down to the bone. The right is covered in senbon, looking somewhat like a porcupine one would see in the nearby woods. Both of my legs seem to be in not much better condition, but are at least minimally functional. My torso has a gigantic hole in the upper right side, a parting gift of an old friend. My head and face are covered with small cuts and the golden locks that once flowed freely and now matted down with blood. Overall, I'm a mess. But, I'm alive, and I curse that fact.

Every other Hokage died protecting their precious village. I attempted to protect mine, and yet here I am alive, while so many others are dead. I can feel their souls bearing down on me. Screaming at me. They are angry, and filled with contempt. I was the Hokage! I was supposed to protect them, not them die protecting me!

I stumble forward, across the bloodied battlegrounds. I hear nothing but the wind now, I feel nothing but pain. Pain. Amazing how many emotions we shove into this category. I can think of so many, and they all hurt so much. First, there is the physical pain from the wounds left upon my body. And the pain from my aching muscles, refusing to let me move to where I want to go, where I need to go. And then there's the emotional pain. Loss, Grief, Anger, Hatred, Rage, Anguish, Sorrow.

But there is an even greater pain than all of those at this point. Something that I thought I had suffered through for so long that I had become immune to it. But I can feel it again. It reaches out through the entire depth of my being, through every fiber of my soul, and clutches at my mind. This one single thing can terrorize me more than anything else I know. If I stop resisting the terror of it's presence for even a second, it will take over and I will lose it. I must stop thinking about it to avoid it.

I try forcing myself to think of something else. But, every time I shove it down, it creeps up again with more force than the last time. I can sense this one terrible thing coming again and again. I brace for the impact, but not even that saves me when it finally takes over.

"ALONE." The voice rumbles inside my head.

I start to break down. This is too much. I worked too hard to have it all end like this.

"You are alone now."

"NO!" The voice is back, taunting me with the one thing I cannot resist.

"Look around you. There is nobody."

"No!" I can feel my resolve slipping.

"Nobody to care for you."

"Stop… Please…" I'm reduced to the point of whimpering.

"Nobody to acknowledge you."

"…" My brain is frozen. I can't breathe. I can only feel sharp spikes of pain pass over me with every word the voice says. I'm starting to black out from lack of oxygen and loss of blood.

"Nobody to respect you. Nobody to be your friend. Nobody."

I'm pushed into the deepest recess of my mind. There are sewer pipes that drip rust-green colored water from time to time into large puddles. The watery sound echoes off of moldy cement walls. The dark passages are musty and dank. Iron bars in the form of a gate room stretch from ceiling to floor in a cavernous room, and attached to them is a single piece of paper.

That one damned piece of paper.

It's caused me almost nothing but trouble and hassle my whole life. It's a single piece of paper, and yet not only has it caused the deaths of hundreds, it's caused my life to be a hell on earth. How could a piece of paper – especially one so small and with so little on it cause all of this?

It's such a simple question, and yet no answer is ever simple.

But that thought is again pushed from my mind as the voice beckons again.

"Nobody." The voice continues it's chant, the deep, booming voice filtering through every cell in my body before reverberating back up through my spine and into my head once more.

"Nobody to love." The voice stops with this as I am about to lose control and consciousness. Images swirl past my body. I see faces, the faces of my precious people. So many people go through the imagery of my mindscape.

I wish I could call out to them. Touch them, hear them, feel them. Even sense their presence. But there is nothing. Nothing but the dark void that threatens to swallows me up.

I would fight, but I'm tired. I'm so tired of this place. I have nothing left to live for and nothing left to fight for. With that thought, I succumb to the darkness of my mind, a final sigh escaping my lips.

* * *

**Rauchster:** Well, What do you think? I was feeling kinda angsty. 

**Plot Bunny:** No fair! I was just running around in your head, and you pulled me out. And _**I**_ was the one feeling angsty!

**Rauchster: **Not exactly my fault, is it?

**Plot Bunny:** YES!

**Rauchster:** Oh right, yea it is. Oh well. Too Bad!

**Plot Bunny:** (Whimpers in corner)

**Rauchster:** Be sure to read and if you could please leave a review. Or else, I'll do bad things to Plot Bunny! (evil glint appears in eye)

**Plot Bunny:** NO! For Kami's sake please read and review! Save me from Rauchster!

**Rauchster: **That's Rauchster-sama to you!


	2. Chapter 2 : Discovery

**Summary:** You know how they say that when you change one little thing, everything spirals out of control? That's how I feel like I've led my life.

**Author:** Rauchster

**Chapter Word Length:** 1,486 (Longer than the last one anyways)

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**Disclaimer:**** Rauchster: **Hey, Plot Bunny! 

**Plot Bunny: **Y-Yes Rauchster-sama?

**Rauchster: **Guess what!? Since I apparently forgot to put one in last chapter, you get to read the disclaimer!

**Plot Bunny: **No! NO! **NO!** Anything but that!

**Rauchster: **(Cackles evilly)

**Plot Bunny: **This fan-fiction was written by Rauchster-sama. He does not own any of the characters referenced within. He does not own any of the ideas written within. He does not own anything at all. Don't sue Rauchster-sama please. Or else he'll take it out on me.

**Rauchster:** Well done, Plot Bunny…… Hey! Wait just a second! What do you mean I don't own anything?

**Plot Bunny:** Well, the idea was mine, and you live in a basement using a computer that doesn't belong to you.

**Rauchster: **Oh… Right.

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Chapter 1: Discovery

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"Hey, Naruto." 

The voice courses it's way through my unconscious state and awakens me, if only partially, from my deep slumber.

"Idiot!"

I think I recognize this voice. It sounds so familiar, but I just can't place it.

"Hey Brat, if you don't wake up now, I'll take control of what's left of your body and attack anything in sight."

Oh yeah. I know who this is.

"What do you want, Kyuubi? I'm really tired and don't really care one bit about what you have to say, so make it quick, alright?"

Kyuubi, the nine-tailed demon fox that resides within me, scoffs. "Let's see. You're about to die, all your precious ones have already done so, and you ignore me when I'm about to suggest a way out of this predicament?" The giant demon kitsune shrugged its furry shoulders at his host's own stupidity.

"You…. You have a way out?" I meekly replied, hating the sound of the weakness in my own voice. I'm the Rokudaime Hokage of the strongest ninja village in the world. I shouldn't be showing my weakness to anyone. But here, in this place, I can put up no mask of fearlessness or happiness. I just don't have the willpower anymore.

"Listen up close brat. I don't like you and I know you don't like me. But when faced with a situation where two enemies are in a situation and the only way out of it is for them to co-operate, then that is what they must do. I cannot guarantee my safety in here, and therefore I'm willing to work with you on this one."

I look at him quizzically. I've known for a while that he does not like me. Hell, he doesn't like any human. But, I've also learned that the Kyuubi is damned smart too. One does NOT get to be king of the demons for nothing. As he is fond of saying whenever I screw up, which is more often than one might think, 'I have more smarts in my fur than you do in your entire body, idiot.' Since he is saying that he will help me, maybe it is in my best interests to listen to what he has to say.

"Since I'm helping you out of this situation of my own free will, and not from you begging for it, I won't ask for anything in return."

Now, this one threw me for a loop. Every other time we had conversed, except for the very first, he had demanded I give him something in return for even the smallest help. Anything large was extremely costly, once escalating to him asking for me to let him take over and kill something, anything. I refused that one, but it stuck with me to be careful of what I ask of him. If he's deciding to do this out of necessity, then I guess I see why though. He has always had an interest in making sure I was healthy. After all, he can't defend himself and must rely on me to carry through. Therefore, keeping me in top physical condition was a top priority for him.

I finally stumble out of the mute state I had been trapped in with a muttered "Why?"

"Well, idiot, I wonder why. My container is sitting here in the middle of a battlefield, dying. I have no way to fend off attackers with you practically dead. And normally, I would take great pleasure in your death. But, since it would probably mean my own as well, thanks to the complexity of this seal, I can't risk it. Personally, I would prefer to not die. Therefore, I am forced against my better judgment to help a human. So, be grateful, you insolent little brat."

The expression on my face is almost unreadable from the mix of emotions. Joy from the ability that Kyuubi says he has to get us out of this situation. Nervousness at what he might mean 'to help a human.' Remorse from the fact I let everyone down. Surprise from the possibility that I might be able to fix that. And anxiety. Lots of anxiety. Who knows what the damned Kyuubi is planning? Definitely not me.

"Ok, kid, are you ready to listen up now?" I nodded my head, caution still evident in my cerulean blue irises. "It's a technique as old as time immortal. I never really thought about using it, since it requires more chakra than even I have alone. But, together we should have enough to make the necessary requirements. Bear in mind that this can only be used by demons, because of the certain types of chakra and seals used. I have never heard of it's use except by the very first demon king, who was older than your entire civilization."

I have been listening and understanding most things so far, but the next thing he says blows my mind.

"This technique will bend the space-time continuum and modify our current location in every dimension to what we want it to be."

I respond with an intelligent and well-thought, "Huh?"

Kyuubi looks at me and sighs. It's not one of those sighs that says 'Kami, this kid is an idiot.' It's one of those sighs that most violent people take when they are restraining from killing something. If he's starts counting to ten, I'm probably in big trouble.

"I'm many millennia old an one of the smartest beings on the planet, and yet I STILL cannot find the words to convey just how much you are lacking in the skill area of knowledge."

Ok, now that was an insult.

"Since you are obviously not comprehending this, I'll explain in layman's terms. Something even a hyperactive, crazy, uber-powerful ninja can understand. Elementary words only."

Now I'm the one who feels like counting to ten. I don't mind Kyuubi insulting my intelligence. Hell, he's done that in every conversation that I've ever had with him. But, today, it feels like he's just going out of his way to do so. Normally he'll just throw it in with the rest of the stuff he's blabbering. It's not like the loser's never made a mistake. He got caught in a seal and stuck inside of a baby, for crying out loud. And, he's been whining about it ever since. Pansy.

I was interrupted from my thoughts by a loud demonic roar right in front of me. Glancing upwards, I found what looked to be a demon. Scratch that. A Pissed-off Demon King.

Whoops.

I guess I forgot that since he's inside of my mind and soul, he pretty much has direct access to read my memories and thoughts at any time he feels like it. And apparently he was listening in just now.

I frantically try to remember what I just said.

Wait. Did I just call him a pansy AND a loser?

I did.

Ah Crap.

I've noticed that there are two times that you say 'Ah Crap.' Both mean completely different things. There is the first 'Ah Crap' that is said at a normal pace in a mostly normal tone. This one is used for cursing out general actions that were dumb, but are not urgent or life-threatening in anyway. Like when I forget where I put Gama-chan and want to go to Ichiraku's Ramen Stand. Or when I notice I stepped in some gum left behind on the road.

Now, the second kind of 'Ah Crap' is typically voiced at an increased speed and pitch. Also accompanying this version of 'Ah Crap' is a high amount of adrenaline and fear. This kind of 'Ah Crap' is reliant upon a set of circumstances in which the other being is possessing of a tangible amount of excess physical prowess and is emanating intense emotional outbursts upon your physical body. In simple terms, You say this one when you're screwed.

This 'Ah Crap' was of the second variety.

I mentally smack myself on the forehead. Here is a being whose physical strength had no equal and was only matched in chakra by an elite few. And I just called it a pansy AND a loser. Wonderful. He was right earlier. I really am an idiot.

"**YOU!**" The blast from Kyuubi's voice knocks my mental self-image right off his feet. I slam into the concrete wall behind me. Hard. If I had a real body in my mental scape, I'd probably have a snapped spinal column right about now.

The Kyuubi sputters angrily after the initial outburst. It appears that he really is at a loss for words. Then again, I'm sure it isn't often that someone insulted this demon king and he hasn't slashed them into pieces small enough to be considered non-existent.

Now, I know I'm not a genius in pretty much any aspect of the word. But I can tell that I've made one helluva mistake.

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**Author's Notes:**

I have become aware that some people may not know much Japanese while reading this fic. So I will try to put out a translation for any such words here at the bottom. If I miss one, and it is ruining your enjoyment of this story, tell me, and I'll find a translation. For now however, I'm keeping the Japanese to a minimum. I'm also putting in translations for the first chapter here.

Foreword Translations:

Rokudaime Hokage: 6th Leader

-Sama: Used at the end of a name to indicate a high level of respect for that person. Approximate equivalent would be Sir or Madam.

Discovery Translations:

Kyuubi: Literally, Nine-tails. In this fic, as well as most others, this represents the nine-tailed demon fox sealed within him.

Kitsune: Fox

Kami: God

Uber: (Not Japanese, German I believe) Ultra

Gama: Frog

-chan: Suffix used to represent a familiar acquaintance, usually used on females, or as an insult to boys.

Gama-chan is his nickname for his frog shaped wallet, chan is used here as a term of endearment

I would appreciate people submitting possible ideas/pairings. Only a few rules. Make it reasonable. Pairings cannot be Naru/Saku (I can't write about a character I personally disdain), cannot be Naru/Tsu (I don't believe this could happen for a second), and cannot be ANYTHING yaoi (2 boys) beyond friendship. I am a guy, and find the idea of yaoi beyond just friends absolutely disgusting.

Shouji-ai is fine and you can suggest pairing Naruto with anyone not mentioned above.

I would love to see reviews!

If there are no new reviews by the next update – Plot Bunny will be in for a world of pain.

**Plot Bunny:** WHAT! Oh no. No No No No No. This cannot be happening to me.

**Rauchster: **(Thinks of ideas to drive Plot Bunny insane, and giggles in glee)

**Plot Bunny: ** Argh! Help Me! Review!


	3. Chapter 3 : Spiral of Time

**Summary:** You know how they say that when you change one little thing, everything spirals out of control? That's how I feel like I've led my life.

**Author:** Rauchster

**Chapter Word Length:** 3,778 (Longest Chapter Yet!)

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**Rauchster: **And for the disclaimer, I proudly present - Plot Bunny! 

**Plot Bunny:** I hate you.

**Rauchster:** What was that? I didn't hear a disclaimer in that.

**Plot Bunny: **Fine. Fine. Let's just get this over with.

**Rauchster:** That's the spirit!

**Plot Bunny:** Rauchster-sama does not own Naruto. If he did he'd be filthy rich and wouldn't waste his time writing a fanfiction to post on a website so that anyone can read it for free. Need anymore proof? Didn't think so.

**Rauchster: **Nice one, Plot Bunny! (Glomps Plot Bunny)

**Plot Bunny: **Get off me.

**Rauchster:** Why?

**Plot Bunny: **Or else I'll stop providing inspiration so that you can pump out your longest chapter yet in only a couple of days.

**Rauchster:** No! Don't do that! The fans will go rabid and kill us.Well. Kill you. Not me. (cackles evilly)

**Plot Bunny: **(Sighs) Just be quiet so I can go to sleep and bounce around your head with more ideas later.

**Rauchster:** (Squeals with joy) Yay! Ok - Enjoy the story everybody!

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Chapter 2: Misforgivings

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_Now, I know I'm not a genius in pretty much any aspect of the word. But I can tell that I've made one helluva mistake. _

"You little bastard. Not one person in over several hundred years has insulted me to my face, and I haven't ripped them into infinitesimal pieces."

'Wow, Did I call that or what?' I think to myself.

"Just because I can't kill you, doesn't mean I won't get my revenge. Because living is more important than killing a pathetic speck like you, let's get on with this damned technique. First, think of the dimensions that surround us. Everything exists in Height, Length, and Width dimensions. But, one plane of existence that is easily overlooked is Time."

I nod my head slowly, trying to comprehend this. I went to a ninja academy, not a quantum physics university, after all. This isn't really within the scope of my comprehension from being a Hokage either.

"Think of it walking backward, or falling down, except through the Time dimension, and not Length or Height."

All of a sudden it clicks. I vigorously bounce my head up and down, trying to show the fox that I've made the connection.

"Ok, Naruto, now for the fun part. Hand seals. There's a lot of them, so I'm just going to implant the memory of how to do them into your head, rather than show you all 463."

My jaw drops. "F-Four hundred and sixty-three?!"

"I told you, little brat, this is a technique only to be used by a demon king, and thus it is very powerful. It is not to be used or taken lightly. This will use up almost all of your chakra and close to all of mine as well. Like I said, the only one to succeed in using time travel was another demon king. Many others have tried and either died of chakra depletion, or didn't have enough stamina to make it through the portal to their destination. I have carefully calculated this and estimate that we have just enough of both chakra and stamina between us to barely survive this."

I'm still a genius, but I do know something about chakra and stamina, especially that my own levels were higher than anyone else I knew, except for Kyuubi. I've heard that the Yondaime's chakra capacity had been as much as mine, but had never had any proof to back this up. And it had been said many times that nobody could match my stamina. The simple fact that this would use up close to all of both made me pale a little.

I look at Kyuubi with more than a little nervousness. He looks to be rummaging through different strands of … something … that are hanging from the ceiling in his cage. He seems to select one at random and places it onto his paw. He then closes his eyes and chants something inaudible.

Suddenly, I'm aware that I know all of the hand seals. I am also aware that I know which ones to channel my normal chakra into and which ones require demon chakra. I look at Kyuubi, this time with amazement, as he opens his eyes.

"There." He states simply. "Before we start, I am not sure where this will take us too. We may be separated or stay as one. There is no way to tell. However, legend says that "One will exist the time rift at the most important part of their life." What this may be for you, I do not know. It may also use what it deems is my most important moment as well, since I will be traveling at least part of the way with you."

"Remember that you will take over your former body in spirit, but the body will stay the same. Nothing has ever been said about if you keep your memories of the future, so that is where I am going to help you. I will implant a copy of your current memories into your spirit where only I could find it. After the time travel, I will release the future memories so that you may be able to prevent all of this."

I am now quite suspicious. I always knew that the mighty fox lord never does anything out of sympathy or compassion. He is a ruthless, bloodthirsty killing machine when he chooses to be. He may use this to take advantage o a younger me. If we go back, only to harm my friends there, this will serve no purpose.

However, I remember something that Kyuubi said to me a while back. "Naruto, a demon lord is bound to his honor and pride to uphold his word. The hard part is to get him to give his word."

I decide to risk it. After all, what more can I possibly lose. Nothing, really. "Will you give your honor-bound word, upon your title as the Demonic Overlord, Kyuubi?"

Surprisingly enough, the Kyuubi thinks it over. "State what you wish to gain my word upon, and we shall see."

For once, I remember to be polite to the fuzzball. "Lord Kyuubi, I request your word that upon the completion of this jutsu, you will release my memories back to me so that I may change the future."

The giant kitsune looks at me. He tilts his head slightly and puts a furry paw to his chin, reminiscent of a human thinking posture. "Uzumaki Naruto, you have my word, honor-bound upon my title of Demon Lord."

For the first time in my life, and quite possibly the last, I say "Thank you, Kyuubi."

"Although, brat, I'm surprised you remembered your manners." Kyuubi smirks, and thinks 'And left me a gaping loophole in that promise.'

"Naruto, you should be starting the hand seals now."

Quick to react, I put my arms in front of me, and my hands turn into a blur as I run through them, counting along the way to make sure I didn't miss any.

"100… 200… 300… 400… 461, 462," I paused before the last hand seal for a split second. 'I really hope this will work'.

"463! Furui Oni Fuukaku! Jikoku Soukou no Jutsu!

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A leaf had fallen from a nearby tree and the gust of wind from the chakra buildup and release. For some reason it captivated me. It swirled around daintily in the air. As it was halfway down to the ground, it started to slow down. It was like there were crosswinds slowly making it start to hover. I watched as the leaf gradually stopped in mid-air, suspended in both time and space. As I moved over to it, there is a weird sensation. Normally it would seem like I travel around a stationary world. This was the impression I had always been under. 

But, as I put one foot in front of the other, it feels like the world is moving around me, that I am staying still while everything comes to or moves away from me. It gets so strong that I almost get vertigo. I finally reach the leaf just hanging there in mid-fall. It just begs to be touched. My hand moves out to reach it, or rather it seems to just move closer to my hand. This screwed up sense of motion is seriously weird. My fingers brush against it, slightly moving it out of its place.

As I watch, tiny spider web-like cracks form around the leaf. They slowly spiral outwards as I move the leaf away from it's original frozen position. I am entranced by this. I do not notice the depletion of chakra from the jutsu, I cannot feel the exhaustion from forcing all of said chakra through me at once. I am only dimly aware of anything else.

Testing something, I grab the leaf and forcefully move it aside. Or was that the leaf encased itself within my fist and moved on its own? It's quite hard to tell the difference.

The cracks are now spiraling around a small black hole. I notice that it seems to be pulling on me. I lean close and put my eye to the hole. It's literally a hole in the world, there is just a giant whirling vortex of grey and black inside. It spins and spins around and away from me. As I move closer to see more, the cracks widen, and chunks of the world fall at my feet. I can feel the vacuum effect on my hair as it is being pulled towards the apparent rift in time. I watch as a single strand of hair is pulled loose from my head and is sucked into the spiraling time gap. It swirls around briefly in the outer rings before taking a circular course towards the center. As it reaches the center, it just vanishes.

I wonder briefly, 'Where did that hair end up? What was it's most important time in life? Or because it's part of me, will it travel just ahead of me?' The questions that posed themselves in front of my mind, disappear a fraction of a second later, when I notice the time rift growing bigger and bigger. It's now quite large enough for me to put my head in, if I wished to do so.

As an experiment, and put my hand to the hole. Misjudging the force needed, and forgetting the seemingly reverse rules of motion in this stop time, I over compensate for the strength necessary to just put my hand in the hole. My arm is now buried elbow deep into the rift and I can't pull it back out. The cracks around the edge grow bigger and bigger.

I'm now quite frantic. A hole has my arm and won't let go. Some might call it dumb, but I like my arms attached to me. Something about having all my body parts in their proper places is nice.

I put a foot against the cracks, forgetting that they are in mid-air. When I try and apply force to my foot, so that I can remove my arm, I stumble forward unexpectedly, and crash into the hole, arm-first.

An instant ago, I was standing in the middle of a devastated section of Konoha's Forest. Now I'm caught up in a maelstrom of grey and black rushing around me. I'm struggling to stay out of this stuff, whatever it is, but it sticks to me. A good word to describe it would be quicksand. There more I struggle against the current of this vortex, the more it pulls me back in.

I'm nearing the middle, and can feel my body being pulled under. I can see almost nothing, feel only the goop that surrounds me, and hear only the angry grumbling of the whirlpool as it constantly swirls away into nothingness.

Reaching the center, I am sucked down.

* * *

Kyuubi snickered as his host was pulled into the vortex and lost consciousness. Such a dumb little thing they had entrusted with the greatest demon of all-time. It was a shame that the damned mortal had enough willpower to match his own, however. This denied the great being access to what he wanted, what he desired. His own freedom again to do as he pleased, when and where he wanted to do whatever it was. 

But, in an unconscious state, most of the boy's willpower was now inactive, along with the rest of the body.

Kyuubi rammed a claw through the bars of the gigantic cage that had been his prison for almost 25 years. Really, it was just more of an inconvenience to a being that lived for many millennia, but it certainly was still quite annoying. He could tell from the seal that the only way to separate himself from his silly container was to wait for the boy to die naturally. Anything traumatic or un-natural which meant that the seal was active at the moment of death would mean that Kyuubi would perish with the boy. He definitely did not want to die. After all, he was not an old demon by any means, and still wanted to get back into the underworld again so he could once more rule everything in it.

Sadly for him, the claw did not manage to break through the cage's bars. He sighed again. He had tried this every time his host's body lost consciousness. It never had seemed to work. But, he kept trying, of course.

'At least I didn't come out of the situation so badly. He left such a glaring error in his asking for my word of honor. The only reason I agreed with the damned bastard was so he might think he could trust me. And he thanked me. The little moron actually thanked me.' Kyuubi roared in laughter at this. Raising his furry paws to wipe a tear of mirth from his eyes, his feral grin re-appeared. 'Now, how can I exploit this situation for the best?'

* * *

As my consciousness re-awakens, I inspect my surroundings. I am obviously floating because I feel nothing underneath me. Or maybe that's above me. Either way, I do not seem to be directly in contact with anything. It's a strange and foreign feeling. I cannot remember many times when I haven't been touching anything at all. The feeling is amazing for a short period of time, but then it becomes quite uncomfortable. The reassuring feel of something, anything, is always nice after these brief moments. 

I expected to be placed into nothingness. And, in one sense, I wasn't disappointed. This place is huge and mostly empty. And dark. Very dark. I see small specks of light off in the distance. I have no way to measure how far it is until I may reach those little floating chunks of light, since I have nothing to reference nearby.

Trying to move toward one, I realize I'm just floating there. I'm unable to push off of anything at all to gain momentum. My brain puzzles around this conundrum for a while, until I feel a current of something flow by me.

The flow of the current is cold. It chills me to my bones, and then even farther, into my very soul. I spin around as best as I can in this place of nothingness. It is so hard to move even a little bit. It feels like I could swim, but through the air instead of water. Using this little realization to my advantage, I squirm around until I have done a half-circle and am facing the direction of the cold current.

The only problem now is that the source of the current of frozen air is now directing some of it straight into my face. I can feel my blood freeze in my face as the icy wind washes over me.

But, this is nothing compared to what I'm looking at. Or rather, what appears to be looking back at me.

If I had one word to describe this… thing, it would be absolutely hideous. Well, that's two words, but the point is made just the same.

What I think is the creature's face shimmers in and out of view, different parts and layers visible each second. The parts of the body phase in and out in a similar pattern of randomness as the face does. One moment I can see what appears to be a skeletal structure underneath, and the next it is a chunk of pale flesh, only to be replaced by the inky black void the very next.

Although I cannot see a mouth move, or anything really at all, I can hear it. It's saying something very quietly. Figuring that it can't hurt to listen to what the creature has to say, I focus a little of my remaining chakra to my ears so that I can hear the speech.

I can only catch bits and fragments at first, but eventually I adjust to the creature's strange speaking patterns.

"Little one, … is great turmoil …in your soul … have sensed. I believe you … come here … correct past mistakes?"

Understanding the pause in speech and the strange upturn of inflection of the end of the sound, I correctly recognize the question he has asked. "Yes, I wish to correct my previous errors. I have come here to travel back in time so that I may accomplish this."

The creature appears to nod its head, and begins into its strange speech patterns again.

"You must choose … to save … who to leave. One cannot change all." The words are becoming clearer now, and I don't think I'm missing any words anymore. "There are many paths to follow. Be sure to choose the correct one. All actions will have consequences, regardless of how small the action, or how big the consequence."

The creature pauses again, and tilts the thing I believe is a head towards me. I take the gesture as an invitation to move closer. Although uncomfortable with being near something so horrifying, I agree. It appears that he may tell me more, and I'll take any and all information that I can get.

"Little one, remember this. The flapping of a butterfly's wings can causes earthquakes around the world. But, stopping the wings from moving may have an even greater effect."

After whispering these words, the being starts to disappear, or at least the parts of it appearing seem to be less frequent than before. A little more than a couple seconds pass, and the thing leaves me alone in this world. Confused at his words, I try to repeat them in my head.

I fail to notice that I am now rapidly moving towards one of the beacons of light that were off in the distance. Just before I come into contact with it, I snap my head around to look into it. Suddenly stopping right in front of it, I just float there, mesmerized by what I see inside.

Where I seemed to be looking from it appeared as though I was about two thousand feet in the air, far above a rocky outcropping. At the base of the rocks was an open field that was lush and fertile with plants growing in any available patch of sunlight. Beyond was a vast forest that stretched to the horizon in three directions. The subtle shades of dark and light green; along with the mottled earthen color of dirt mixed in was absolutely beautiful. The clear blue sky interspersed with a few fluffy white clouds drifting lazily through the sky made a splendid background for the scene around me.

Hearing something behind me that sounded like battle cry, I turned around prepared for the worst.

Apparently I wasn't prepared enough.

The scene was a battleground. Not just a small training field used for sparring between some powerful people that got ripped up. Not even the site of a surprise raiding party upon enemy ninja. This was an immense battleground. It stretched for miles upon miles from my vantage point. Beneath were the smashed remains of what looked to be the outskirts to a sprawling city. Bodies could be seen littering the ground, most crushed beneath the rubble and debris that seemed to be everywhere.

The one thing that dominated my vision was a gigantic red blob that seemed to be rummaging around in the dirt looking for something. It looked to be some large creature that I had never seen before. Then I saw them. What I had mistaken for large divots in the ground flashed about angrily. I counted them quickly. Two, Five, Seven, Eight, Was that Nine Tails?

Ah crap.

That's not good.

* * *

Far beneath the unknown observer, a small yellow strand of hair poofed into existence. It swirled about madly in the churning air, and spiraled down to land on a nose buried in a scroll. A mind churned to figure out what had passed through his vision and settled on the bridge of his nose. It was itching like crazy, and making him want to… ah… Ah… Choo! 

Violently grabbed by the blonde man's sneeze, the hair flew away to drift to a stop upon the belly of a nearby infant. The blonde man reached over to pick it up, and examine it. It was a short hair, colored bright yellow similarly to his own. Reaching his other hand up, he placed it behind his head and grinned sheepishly, while mumbling something about being a new father and the Kyuubi driving him into going bald early.

He cooed at the baby, who stared back into his father's face, and thought of what he had to do. Rolling up the scroll, he went over the final seals for the complex jutsu he was about to attempt. His teacher had mapped out most of it, making the necessary adjustments to alter the seal to how he had wanted it. He needed this seal to be powerful, and yet flexible. It was by far the most complex thing he had ever created. Considering this was the inventor of the Rasengan, which was quite a statement.

He somberly stood up, holding the child in his arms and walked to the edge of the rocky outcropping. Lifting the baby onto his shoulders, so he could do the hand seals unencumbered by his own flesh and blood, he started molding his chakra. There were many seals to this, but he had long since memorized the order of them, and instead focused on his wife and newborn child. She had passed on during the birth of his only son, and soon he would join her. Not that he wanted to die, but it was his duty to protect his village, and he would do so at any cost, even if it was his life.

Finishing the last seal, he sensed the presence of something behind him. He could feel it reaching through him, his very soul, and out the other side. Out through his newborn boy. Out towards the threat that would kill everyone if left unchecked. Out to Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox demon who was attacking Konoha.

The hand emerged and raced off to the giant demon fox, grabbing it with all of it's might and reeling it back in towards it's target.

Closing his eyes right before the final part of the sealing, the blonde man missed seeing a flash of light and a falling soul appear right in front of him.

Just as the Death God's hand, holding the Kyuubi's Soul impacted with the infant, so did the spirit of the Rokudaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Yondaime: 4th (As in Yondaime Hokage or the 4th leader of the village)

Jutsu: Technique 

Furui Oni Fuukaku: Jikoku Soukou no Jutsu Ancient Demon Style: Time Traveling Technique (I used an online translator. May or may not be grammatically correct)

**Muwahaha** - I left you with a good one that time. If you truly can't figure out who the blonde man and infant are, then you probably don't understand half the story so far. 

I'm rather liking how this story is progressing.

Ideas are flowing and everything is working well at the moment.

Until Next Time - Rauchster


	4. Chapter 4 : First Impressions

**Summary:** You know how they say that when you change one little thing, everything spirals out of control? That's how I feel like I've led my life.

**Author:** Rauchster

**Chapter Word Length:** 1,533 words

**Disclaimer:****Rauchster: **Hey!

**Plot Bunny: **Lemme guess. Disclaimer?

**Rauchster:** Yup.

**Plot Bunny:** I hate doing this. Can't you find any one else? Please?

**Rauchster:** Nope.

**Plot Bunny: **Puh-lease? (Makes puppy eyes)

**Rauchster: **Fine. Just stop with the eyes!

**Plot Bunny: **Yay!

**Rauchster:** (Uses magical Powers of Author) Kuchiyose no Jutsu!

**Naruto:** (Poofs into existence) Huh? What am I doing here? I thought I had just landed in my old body.

**Rauchster:** You had.

**Plot Bunny: **Yup.

**Naruto: **Huh?

**Rauchster:** Explanations later, Disclaimer now!

**Naruto:** Uhm… What's a disclaimer?

**Rauchster & Plot Bunny: **(Sweatdrop)

**Rauchster:** Just read this paper. (Hands sheet of paper over to Naruto.)

**Naruto:** Uhm. Ok. Rauchster-sama... (Looks balefully at Rauchster)

**Rauchster:** Just read it!

**Naruto:** Rauchster-sama does not own the number one most hyperactive ninja of Konoha or anything related to him. All he owns is this idea. Steal it and I'll use magical authoring powers to rasengan you into oblivion.

**Rauchster:** Yay!

**Naruto:** You do realize that puppy eyes are impossible to make on a bunny?

**Rauchster:** Meh, Whatever. On with the story!

**Naruto:** But I'm here.

**Rauchster:** Not anymore. (Sends Naruto back into story line)

**Rauchster:** Just a note to you guys, I'm not going to be writing in First-person as Naruto much anymore. It's too tough, and I can tell the story much better from a third-person POV. Now that that is out of the way, let's continue with Time Spiral.

* * *

_Closing his eyes right before the final part of the sealing, the blonde man missed seeing a flash of light and a falling soul appear right in front of him._

_Just as the Death God's hand, holding the Kyuubi's Soul impacted with the infant, so did the spirit of the Rokudaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto._

* * *

The blonde man looked down at his son. Tears falling from his eyes as he slowly collapsed to the ground. He knew this was the end for him, but it didn't matter so much anymore. He had saved the village, and his son would be the one that everyone would think of as a hero. He had his legacy, and there was no more time for him to do anything else. He looked at the black markings swirling and taking form on his boy's stomach, indicating that the Kyuubi was indeed sealed correctly into him. This seal had many different layers going on and combining within, to supposedly create one of the strongest barriers in existence.

The seal had 5 parts. The first part was the main barrier. It was designed to hold back any spirit to within it's container without allowing the two to ability to merge together as one. Second was the chakra allowance seal, which controlled the amount of chakra that Kyuubi would be allowed to create and use. Third was a flow-gate seal that only allowed Kyuubi's chakra to be used by his son, and not allowing Kyuubi to use the boy's chakra. Next was a mind communication seal. If his son ever progressed to the point of being able to communicate with Kyuubi through his mind, and had the need to do so, he would be able to project a spirit image within his own sub-consciusness and be able to meet the demon sealed within him.

Last was the control seal, which had a little of his own soul embedded into it. His own chakra would keep regenerating for as long as the small piece of his soul was there, thereby keeping this seal active for the boy's entire life. This seal would keep the death god sealing jutsu active, since, if it went into dormancy from lack of chakra, Kyuubi would probably be able to break it. So, this seal was put in place to freeze the jutsu as being active until the boy's death.

Little did the man know that this part of the seal would also have another, much more drastic effect. Because of the timing of the future Rokudaime Hokage's time jump, the jutsu he used was also active at the time of the application of this seal. Since it was designed to take ANY active jutsu, and feed it enough chakra to keep it going until the seal was released, it did just that. And since the blonde man put every ounce of chakra and willpower into this seal, it took more than enough to regenerate the needed chakra to keep this time jutsu going.

And so as Naruto Uzumaki's soul landed into his infant body, the gate did not close within him. Instead, fed by the Yondaime's chakra, the gate stayed open. Of course, the baby boy in which the time rift existed didn't know this, but his previous soul had noticed that the gate stayed open behind him. Since Naruto didn't know the workings of this particular jutsu though, he was unsure of if this was how it was supposed to look.

As the older Uzumaki's soul was inspecting the gate, he sensed something glaring at him. Whipping his head around to the side he saw a set of blazing red eyes. In them he could see hatred, anger, and a fervent desire to kill something. Feeling a bit of déjà vu from when he first saw those eyes, he knew immediately who it was. Deciding to taunt the thing inside his head a little, he spoke up.

"Hey, Fuzz-butt. Stop looking at me like that." Naruto's elder self said, while staring straight at the demon fox. All he could see was the eyes still, but it was enough to watch. First, he could see a slightly puzzled look, he was sure it was from the fact that his prey wasn't intimidated by him at all. Then, rage, at him being insulted. Then realization at who it was that was talking to him. Or so he thought he knew.

'This guy, Didn't he just seal me in here? How is he here too? What is going on?' were the thoughts racing through the fox's head. "Arashi Kazama, Yondaime Hokage of Konoha, I welcome you to my, apparently new, humble abode." Sarcasm was dripping off of every word.

'Did he just call me Arashi Kazama? Yondaime Hokage? What in the world?' The elder Naruto's soul thought. "What are you talking about Furball? Have you lost your mind or something?" he spoke up.

The greatest being of all time, who was smarter than every other living creature summarily responded in a fashion befitting a demon lord of his stature in such an eloquent phrase. "Huh?"

'Oh great, that's right. This Kyuubi doesn't know me or work with me yet. Wonderful.' These were the Rokudaime's spirit thoughts. "Ok, Kyuubi, listen up. I'm the future soul of the being you just got sealed into. Long story short, we were in dire straights and you decided to help me out by sending my spirit into my past. Now, I need to merge with my previous consciousness, and you feed my memories, which the future you stored into this spirit's persona, and change the past so the future isn't so fucked up."

"… You're telling me that you're from the future? And that we were in trouble? And you seriously expect me to believe that I could ever help a human out at any point? Much less share a demon king technique with them? You have got to be kidding." Kyuubi just chuckled with laughter. It was the best laugh he had had for several millennia, and he was determined to enjoy it. Although, sadly for him, his precious laugh was cut short by the mouthy skin-sack in front of him.

"Ok, you just got sealed into a newborn baby, so yes you can get into trouble. And the future Kyuubi shared a few memorable stories with me along certain points, so don't even try that 'never helped humans' schtick. So shut up and pull out my memories before I have to merge personas."

Wiping a tear of mirth with his furred paw, the Kyuubi managed to stop his laughing during the yellow-topped human's little speech and realized that it was the only probable solution. He DID know a time bending technique, although never bothered to use it, since he hadn't regretted anything he had ever done. And he had helped out humans in the past, and it seemed this mortal knew about it. He would also prefer that word of these incidents would never make it to the public eyes, else he might not get the respect he believed he deserved. "Fine, fine, you stupid mortal. Let me see what you have crammed into that spirit body of yours." Reaching a claw out to the human in front, he first attempted to slice him in half, but as the claw went right through him, and the spirit had the gall to smirk at him after that, he decided just to try. After all, what could it hurt? If the mortal was telling the truth, he might even see glimpses of his future self. That could certainly be interesting. And of course, he was sure he could pull a few compromising things out against the human in front of him. Next to destroying everything in sight, playing psychological games with his victims was his favorite hobby.

Kyuubi rooted around in the spirit, searching for where he would think memories would be located, and found a glowing sphere of them buried deep into the center of the being standing in front of him. Slowly willing it out of the spirit's body, it rose up and away. Glowing a bright blue and swirling around, the orb showed screen like images. Looking closely, he could catch glimpses of memories inside of it. He scooted it closer to him, unaware of the spirit form slowly starting to dissipate, and another one taking its place.

Naruto saw the bright blue object being pulled out of his spirit, and felt his mind lose focus at the same time it lost contact with him. His essence was being drawn away from him, and into something right at his feet. He looked down and saw his baby form in the mindscape. This must be the merging of the souls process. Hopefully, Kyuubi will see the memory of him giving his word. Speaking up one last time before his form disappeared, "Kyuubi!"

Jolted from his examination, the Nine-tailed demon fox eyed the gradually fading form. "What?"

"Look into my memories and find the ones from right before the time jump, it will show you what the future you agreed to do."

"Understood, I will look at the images you requested." Kyuubi didn't like to be given orders, but he was too captivated by seeing a person's memories laid bare before him. Sure, he'd agreed to look at those memories, but hadn't agreed on when. He wanted to see this human's life unfold before him. Maybe play with him a bit. After all, he did love torture.

* * *

**Rauchster: **Well – after all that work here is another chapter.

**Plot Bunny:** Took ya long enough.

**Rauchster:** That's only because you abandoned me.

**Plot Bunny:** And?

**Rauchster:** You know, for a bunny who only lives in my imagination, you getting pretty bratty.

**Plot Bunny: **I know.

**Rauchster:** Kuchiyose no Jutsu!

**Kyuubi: **RWAAAAR! Who dares disturb me?

**Rauchster: **Shut up, Fuzz-butt!

**Kyuubi:** (Cowers to author's divine powers) S-S-Sorry Rauchster-sama. W-What can I do for you?

**Rauchster:** Go torture Plot Bunny until he co-operates with me again.

**Kyuubi: **Yay!

**Plot Bunny: **No!


	5. Chapter 5 : Author's Notes

* * *

Any new ideas or suggestions for things happening within the story can be left in replies to me here. 

I have many ideas mulling around, and am going to try to figure out how to connect them back all together.

So – If you have an idea for a pairing or event that you would like to see, tell me! Remember - no yaoi / NaruSaku / NaruTsu.

Will try to update once a week. More when ideas are flowing, less if not.

Updates so far:

3-7-07 Uploaded Foreword. - 1,131 words

3-8-07 Uploaded This Notes Page - (Which will constantly be changing and at back of story.)

3-10-07 Uploaded Discovery : Chapter 2 - 1,486 words

3-12-07 Uploaded Spiral of Time : Chapter 3 - 3,778 words

3-24-07 Uploaded First Impressions : Chapter 4 - 1,533 words

Next expected update!

**3-31-07**

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